Tile fastening clip



TILE FASTENING CLIP Filed NOV. 26, 1950 I INVENTOR Q0615? H- 7'! TT-ATTORN Patented Aug. 28, 1934- 1,972,058 ms ms'mnmc our Roger H. Stitt,Chicago, Ill., assignor to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, 111.,a corporation of. Illinois Application November 26, 1930, Serial No'.498,292 17 Claims. (01. 72-20) This invention relates to fasteningdevices, and has reference more particularly to fastening clips forsecuring acoustical or other types of tile to ceilings or walls ofbuildings.

In the erection of acoustical tiles, or other wall surfacing material,it is common to apply a cementing agent around the exterior back surfaceof the tile, this cementing agent being adapted to adhesively attach thetiles to the wall surface. These acoustical tiles are often made of abase of mineral wool with a suitable binder, and are subject toexpansion and contraction, so that a tile may loosen along one edge inspite of its adhesive attachment. It is therefore desirable to have someform of mechanical attachment in addition to the adhesive so that thetiles cannot Work loose from the wall surface. An object of thisinvention, therefore, is to provide a mechanical attaching means for se-'20 curing acoustical or other tiles to wall surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening means whichmay be utilized after a period of time following erection of the tilesto securely fasten any edge of the tile which may have worked loose tothe wall surface; also to improve fastening devices in other respectshereinafter specified and claimed.

Reference. is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a section ofabutting tiles, with my improved fastening clip in place,

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through the tiles and ceiling surface,showing the mechanical fas tening device,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the fastening device during erection, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved fastening device.

The acoustical tiles 10, or any other kind of tiles, may be attached toa ceiling surface 11 by means of an adhesive substance 12, such as glue,

asphalt, or adhesive having plaster of Paris as a base. The acousticaltiles may be made of mineral wool base with a binder and otheringredients, and are more or less subject to expansion and contractiondue to changing atmospheric conditions, so that the adhesive 12 issometimes broken loose from the wall surface. The acoustical tiles areusually placed in series with edges in abutting relation, as shown inFig. 2. They are often provided with beveled edges 13 so as to add totheir architectural appearance.

The salient feature of my invention consists in a metallic clip 14 ofthin metal, which is preferably coated with paint or baked enamel of acolor matching that of the tile, to which it is applied. The clip 14 ispreferably substantially rectangular in shape, except that one corner isformed into an annular collar or sleeve 15, having an internal diameterequal substantially to the external diameter of a nail 16, so that atight fit between the two prevails. Thus, the nails 16 may be assembledwith the clips before use without becoming displaced, and handling isthereby facilitated. The edge of the clip 14 adjacent the head 1'7 ofthe nail 16, is provided with a notched or severed portion 18, forming apair of flanges 19 and 20, which extend outwardly from the body of theclip 14 at 7 an angle substantially equal to the bevel 13 of g the tiles10.

It will be observed that the sleeve '15 is so positioned that nail 16 isdirected into the surface 11 at a slant. This feature is of particular 7merit where the surface 11 is of plaster, as is commonly found in theinterior of a building. Acoustical tiles are for the most part attachedagainst such a surface, inasmuch as generally the need for acousticaltreatment is not apparent until all ordinary structural details of theinterior are completed. A plastered surface is notoriously inadequatefor retaining a driven nail, since the plaster disintegrates about thenail shank from the concussion incident to driving the nail, and thereis consequently no sufficient hold upon the nail to retain the same.However, since in the present construction the nails 16 are guided intoand maintained in slanting relationship with the plastered surface bythe clips 14, and since the force tending to dislodge the nails isgenerally perpendicularly away from the surface, it will be readilyapparent thata cantilever action will be developed by the nail shank inthe plaster, whereby a suflicient grip is exerted upon the nail to holdthe same in place. The term plaster" as herein used is intended toreferto any sort of cementitious wall facing over which the tiles may beerected.

In applying the clip, the said clip is pushed in- 10 wardly between thetwo tiles 10 until the flanges 19 and 20 substantially contact with thebeveled edges 13 of the tile. Nail 16 is then driven inwardly a limiteddistance into the ceiling 11, and the driving is continued by the use ofan ordinary nail set 21 until the nailhead 1'7 is concealed between thetwo tiles 10. In this finished position, only the flanges 19 and 20 willappear from the outside of the tiles as shown in Fig. l, and since theseflanges match in color with the tiles 11o effectively to attach thetiles to the ceiling surface 11.--

I would state in conclusion that while the illus- 5 trated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not wish tolimit myself precisely to these details, since manifestly, the same maybe considerably varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention as deflned in the appended claims. 1

Having thus describednrv invention, .1 claimas new and desire to secureby Letters Patent.

1. In a fastener for tiles, a clip body of sheet metal, an annularcollar formed on said sheet metal for receiving an attaching nail, andoutstanding flanges on said fastener bent out of the plane of said clipbody adapted to engage abutting tiles when saidnail is driven intoplace, so as to fasten said tiles to a ceiling or wall surface.

2. In a building construction, a, ceiling surface, a series of tilesadhesively attached in abutting relation to said ceiling surface, asheet-like fastening clip interposed between abutting tiles, outstandingflanges formed on an edge of said clip and adapted to engage said tilesto prevent the disengagement of said tiles from said ceiling surface,and a nail engaging a portion formed on said clip independently of saidoutstanding flanges, said nail extending into said ceiling surface toattach said clip and said tiles to said ceiling surface. v

3. In a device for fastening tiles in place, a

' clip body of sheet metal, a sleeve formed diagonally along one edge ofsaid body for receiving an attaching nail, and outstanding flanges onsaid fastener adaptedto engage abutting tiles when said nail is driveninto place, so as to fasten said tiles to a ceiling or wall surface.

4. In a device for fastening tiles in place, a

'clip body of sheet metal, a sleeve formed diagonally along one edge ofsaid body for receiving an attaching nail, and oppositely extending tilegripping flanges on another edge of said body adapted to engage abuttingtiles when said nail is driven into place, so as to fasten said tiles toa ceiling or wall surface.

5. In a device for fastening tiles in place, a clip body of sheet metal,an annular collar formed on said body for receiving an attaching nail,and

a plurality of flanges formed along one edge of the body by severingintermediate the ends, said flanges being bent in alternate oppositedirections whereby to grip andfasten abutting tiles when said nail isdriven in place.

6. In a device for fastening bevel edged tiles .in place against asurface, a clip body of sheet metal, a plurality of flanges on one edgeof said body bent to conform to the bevel edges of said tiles, and anail engaging a portion of said clip and extending into said surface toattach said clip and said tiles to said surface.

7. In a building construction, a building surface covered by acousticalor similar tiles in edge abutting relationship, metallic clips securingthe tiles against said surface; said clips comprising a substantiallyflat body portion interposed between the abutting edges of said tiles,

means for securing said clips to said surface, and flanges on said bodyportion substantially contacting the edges of said tiles and being theonly part of said clips apparent fromthe outside of said tiles when inplace against said surface.

8. In a building constr uction, a pair of tiles against a buildingsurface, said tiles being in edge abutting relationship, a sheet metalclip clip body of sheet metal adapted to be interposed between saidabutting edges without removing said tiles, means along one edge of saidbody for receiving a nail or the like for attaching said device to saidbuilding surface, and means along another edge of said clip body forengaging one ormore tiles to retain the same in place against saidbuilding surface.

10. In a device for re-securing closely edge abutting tiles which arebecoming loose from the surface to which they have been attached, a bodyof sheet material adapted to be interposed between the abutting edges ofsaid tiles without removing said tiles, means for securing said body tosaid surface, and means along an edge of said body for engaging the edgeof one or more tiles to re-. secure the same against said surface.

11. In a building construction, a building surface, a pair of tilesfacing said building surface, a fastening clip extending betweenabutting edges of said tiles and having attachment to said buildingsurface by a nail engaging in a sleevelike means formed on said clip,and a pair of flanges on said clip independent of said sleeveliirevmeans, and contacting said tile edges to 110 secure said tiles to saidbuilding surface.

12 In a fastener for tiles or ,the like, a clip body of sheet metal, anail-engaging means formed by displacement of the metal of said body,outstanding flanges on said fastener bent ,out of the plane of said clipbody and adapted to engage adjacent tiles, and a nail inserted in saidnail engaging means in position to be driven into place in said surface.a

13. In a clip for the purpose described, a clip body, means for engaginga tile, and means on said clip body for guiding and maintaining anattaching nail at a slanting angle relative to the plane of a surfaceinto which said nail is to be driven.

- 14. A clip for the purpose described, comprising a clip body, alaterally extending flange on said clip body for engagement of a tfle,and means in said clip for guiding and maintaining a nail diagonallywith relation to said flange, so that 39 said nail may be'driven into asurface at a slanting angle.

15. In a building construction, a plastered building surface, a tileattached to said surface, a

metallic clip for retaining said tile against said 5 surface, said cliphaving a body portion, means on said. body portion for engagement ofsaid tile, and means in said clip for receiving a nail, said lastmentioned means being formed to guide and maintain said nail at aslanting angle relative to 1 said plastered surface.

16. In a clip for the purpose described and in combination, meansfor-engaging a tile, a nail. and means independent of said engagingmeans for receiving said nail in ready-to-drive position to direct saidnail into a surface, saidlast-mentioned means being in substantiallytight engagement with said nail, whereby to retain said nail inassembled relation with said clip before attaching said clip to saidsurface.

17. In a. clip for the purpose described and in combination, asubstantially flat, metallic clip body, a flange extending at an angleto said clip body and adapted for engagement with a. tile, anattachingnail, and means for receiving said nail to guide the same at apredetermined angle into a surface into which said' nail is to bedriven, said nail being in removable but firm engagement with saidreceiving means and extending partially therethrough in position to bedriven into said surface.

ROGER H. STITT.

